The Ancient Past
by SariSpy56
Summary: When Randy and Howard go on a field trip to Egypt with a small group of students to find a prince's tomb, Randy had strange visions which slowly evolve into a reality.
1. Nomicon's Mirror

_**A/N: **__Rachel420 (or Molly420 as she is known in deviantART) is helping me and RPing with me with this._

_**A/N: **__Not a sequel to __**Tomb of the Cursed Mummy**_

_**A/N: **__Originally a short one-shot entitled __**Worse Than Chickens**_

_**A/N: **__Actually takes place during the events in__** Tales from Norrisville**_

* * *

The ticking of the clock on the wall echoed throughout the room. School was so close to ending only a few more minutes. Randy sat at his desk in Mr. Bannister's English classroom. He kept turning to glance at the clock, just waiting for the bell to ring.

_Ugh. When will the bell ring? _Randy thought frantically. _I could really use a monster attack right about now. Let it be a stanked student or a McFist robot. Anything to get rid of this boredom!_

Howard was sitting across from him, doodling in his notebook, paying no attention at all. The Nomicon suddenly flashed in Randy's knapsack a few times. Randy noticed that the Nomicon was flashing and quickly grabbed it before anyone can notice it. He hid it behind a fake math book's cover and he opened the Nomicon, being pulled inside in the process. As he ascends across the pages, Randy notices something a little _different _about the Nomicon. Instead of the usual Asian aspects, Randy saw some hieroglyphics.

_What the juice is going on in the Nomicon? _Randy thought as he lands on a soft, feathery cushion with a true sapphire silken feel. It beats landing hard on a rocky surface like usual.

"What's with the hieroglyphics, Nomicon?" Randy asked the Nomicon.

The Nomicon just flashed in respond. It flashes again and a large golden mirror appears in front of Randy.

"You want me to look in the mirror?" Randy asked the Nomicon.

The Nomicon flashes, meaning a yes. Randy takes a look at the mirror, but gasps quickly once he looks at the mirror's reflection. He saw an ancient Egyptian version of himself. Both reflections are the same - same tyrian purple hair, same sapphire blue eyes, same body. But the only differences between the reflections is that the Egyptian reflection had thick black eyelinders on his eyes and he wore a traditional Egyptian garb, but it has a more royal look into it.

()()()()()

Back in reality, Howard glanced over, noticing that Randy was in the Nomicon and just shrugged and went back to drawing. While doodling away, Principal Slimovitz enters the classroom with a grin on his face.

"Can I have your attention please?" Principal Slimovitz asked the class as they became silent. "As you all know, the school board had decided to take this class on a field trip to Egypt, tomorrow. We will be visiting the ancient city of Memphis and try to find some ancient artifacts and a pharaoh's tomb from ancient times."

The class mumbled amongst themselves.

"Permission slips are on Mr. Bannister's desk. So before you leave for the day, please pick up a slip and get your parent or guardian to sign it so that it may be collected in the morning before we leave."

And with that, Principal Slimovitz placed a pile of pink permission slips on the desk and quickly leave the room.

()()()()()

Back in the Nomicon, Randy was still shocked at seeing an Egyptian version of himself in the golden mirror.

"What are you trying to tell me, Nomicon?" Randy asked the Nomicon with panic. "Why am I seeing an Egyptian version of myself?"

Instead of responding, the Nomicon flashes again. A hole emerges underneath Randy and before he knew it, he is quickly sucked into a hole.

()()()()()

The bell was going to ring soon and Howard just kept doodling, when he heard Randy gasping for air. He could tell that Randy is finally out of the Nomicon.

Once the bell rang, the two boys each took a permission slip, left the school and were walking home.

"So what did the Nomicon say?" Howard asked.

"She didn't tell me anything." Randy explained. "She just showed me a mirror, that's all."

Howard just sort of nodded.

"So what did I missed?" Randy asked Howard.

"Nothing much." Howard replied. "Except Principal Slimovitz said that we were taking a field trip to Egypt."

"A field trip to Egypt?" Randy asked.

"Yeah, something about searching for some pharaoh's tomb."

"So uh ... when is the field trip taking place?"

"Tomorrow."

Randy freaks out a little. "Tomorrow?! Aw man, I missed everything."

"You were the one complaining about how school wouldn't end and you went into that dumb book in the first place."Howard argued.

"Okay one, the Nomicon isn't dumb, and two, who said I was complaining?"

Howard shrugged. "Whatever you say, Cunningham. I could see it in your eyes. Plus you kept glancing at the clock."

As Randy fumes at what Howard had told him, Cindy and Sierra walked up to them.

"Have you guys heard P. Slim's annoucement earlier?" Cindy asked Randy and Howard.

Howard noticed the two girls and waved slightly. "Hey guys."

"How's it going?" Sierra asked.

"Good." Howard replied. "Did you hear about the trip to Egypt tomorrow?"

"Yeah, and it's gonna be the cheese!" Cindy cried happily. "I can't wait to see some cool ancient tombs!"

Howard nodded and agreed.

"Maybe we could find some ancient history along the way." Sierra cried in excitement. "Maybe they've got really great women back in ancient times!"

"Or better yet, we might find the queen's mummy!" Cindy also cried in excitement.

Howard chuckled.

"What?" Cindy and Sierra asked Howard at the same time.

"You sound pretty excited to go discover a bunch of dead people." Howard replied.

"Yeah. I can't believe we're going to Egypt." Cindy replied as the four teens walk to Cindy's place which is not very far from Randy and Howard's place. After entering the house, the four teens flopped down onto the couch.

"Yeah, sounds great." Randy spoke for the first time since he and Howard left school.

Grabbing a TV remote from the table, Cindy flicked on the TV to see it was currently on the History Channel. It was showing a show about Ancient Egypt.

"Funny how tomorrow's the field trip to Egypt, and there's a show on it right now." Sierra joked.

Howard smiled and watched the show. A narrator is talking off-screen.

_"For years, archaeologists have been digging the Egyptian deserts to find lost tombs of ancient Egyptians. Last month, a team of archaeologists discovered the lost tomb of Riei, a young prince of Eypt. Riei took the throne of Egypt when he was only 8 years old, shortly after his father was killed in a terrible battle between the Eyptians and the Achaeans. He was written to be a unique and noble ruler to have an exotic hair color of tyrian purple, but his reign was very short for he died at age of 14. No one knows how he died, but some historians believed that he was poisoned in the royal bedchamber by his vizier, Khaba, who some believed that he wanted the prince overthrown so that he can rule Egypt and marry Riei's fiancée, the lovely princess Omorose from a city state called Helwan. Unless this theory is proven to be true, Riei's murder remains a mystery and it was never solved."_

"Wow. Talk about a pharaoh assassinaton plot." Randy spoke.

Howard nodded. "That's crazy!"

"Crazy indeed." Sierra added.

During the time of the show, the teens were half-awake. Cindy couldn't keep herself awake that she ended up resting onto Randy's shoulder. Randy, also couldn't keep himself awke, rested his arm around Cindy's shoulders, also resting close to her. If one had excellent hearing, you could hear two heartbeats going at once.

"Aww, isn't that cute?" Lina's voice came from behind the couch.

"I know, right?" Sierra's voice also came from behind.

Randy and Cindy shot around to see Cindy's older sister, Lina standing behind the couch and Sierra resting her elbows on the back of the couch, smiling sweetly.

"Lovebirds." Howard chuckled lightly and continued to watch the show.

"We're not lovebirds!" Randy and Cindy yelled at Howard.

"Yeah you are." Howard replied chuckling. In frustration, Randy grabs a sofa pillow and whacks Howard on the face with it. "Ow."

Howard fell backwards off the couch, followed by Cindy and Randy chuckling.

"Thanks." Cindy thanked Randy.

"No problem." Randy replied.

"Shouldn't you guys be going home or something?" Lina asked Randy, Howard and Sierra. "It's getting awfully late."

Howard got up and nodded and headed home. "See you tomorrow!"

"See ya!" Sierra cried as she also headed home, which is right next to Cindy's place.

"Bye guys!" Randy cried as he too headed home for the day.

* * *

_**Well, that's about it for chapter one. Please read and review though.**_


	2. Dream of Death

_**A/N: In both my original pictures and Jet556's version in "Past Lives: The Bronze Age", Riei drinks the water that was poisoned. In this version, it'll be red wine that is poisoned instead of water.**_

* * *

Howard was already heading home, but by the time he got home, Heidi was standing at the doorway, giving him a glare.

"Howard, do you know what time it is?" Heidi asked Howard in an angry tone.

"Umm..." Howard mumbled quietly.

"Mom was worried sick when she noticed you didn't come home!" Heidi yelled again. "Explain yourself!"

"Uh ... I gotta go to my room now!" And with that, Howard quickly ran up to his room and played Grave Punchers all night.

A pink permission slip is still in his bag. Howard would have to make a mental note on getting the slip signed by tomorrow, or his friends are going to Egypt without him.

_At least this time, we won't have to face that Sutekh Brotherhood. _Howard thought with a smirk. _Those guys are nasty._

()()()()()

That night, everyone, even Howard who still plays Grave Punchers all night, had signed their permission slips. When the sun came down and the moon rises over the city, Norrisville fell into a peaceful silence with only the noise being the crickets, the stray animals or occasional din. Most people could fall asleep peacefully in this haven, but sadly, one would not.

In the Cunningham residence, Randy tossed and turned in his bed for the seventh time if someone, usually the Nomicon was there to count. His thoughts were restless and blurry, his scrawny body covered in sweat; usual signs of a nightmare.

_The young Prince Riei is all alone in his bedchamber, on the night before the grand wedding between him and the lovely Princess Omorose of Helwan. All the excitement earlier that night greatly exhausted the prince that he only needed to take a short nap before rejoining the celebration that the Egyptians held in honor of the young prince and princess, soon to be king and queen of Egypt the following day._

_Riei thought he needed to rest for a bit. Wouldn't want his subjects to see him in a sickly state during the wedding tomorrow. Not even Omorose would want to see her prince in a sickly state if he had not gotten his rest._

_Riei was just about to climb into his bed to take a short rest when a knock on the grand door was heard. Riei approaches the grand door and opens it to reveal a servant holding a tray with a golden goblet on it. Riei was a little confused. Since when did he ordered a servant to fetch him a drink?_

_"My master, Khaba wishes you a toast. In honor of your engagement with the princess Omorose." the servant said to Riei._

_"Thank you noble servant." Riei thanked the servant as he takes the golden cup from the tray. "Please give Khaba my gratitude the next time you see him."_

_The servant bowed before leaving the prince's bedchamber. Riei's thoughts on why a servant fetched him a drink without giving him a direct order faded as the prince takes a seat on a stool, the cup still in his arms. Riei was not surprised to find his drink being rich red wine that the nobles and the royalty cherished during magnificent feasts and parties. Red wine was considered to be a favorite drink of the higher class, so seeing that his drink was red wine didn't surprise Riei._

_Riei had noticed that his mouth had been dry as sand since his grand announcement of the wedding. Thirsty, Riei drinks the red wine, admiring its taste. Before he could finish the entire cup, the prince collapse onto to floor and his world went black instantly. With his legs upon a stool, Riei lay where he had fallen. His right arm was outstretched with a cup not far from his hand as red wine with some green liquid in it was spilled across the floor. _

_"Riei? Are you okay in there?" Omorose's voice cried from behind the grand door._

_Receiving no answer, Omorose (who resembles a lot like Theresa) enters Riei's bedchamber, noticed Riei's body lying on the floor and screamed. Tears rolled down from her eyes as she rushed to Riei's side._

_"Riei! Riei! Speak to me!" Omorose cried. But all attempts to do so failed._

_Seconds later, a few palace guards, followed by a a chubby ginger nobleboy (who resembles a lot like Howard) and a few nobles entered the prince's bedchamber._

_"What happened Omorose?" the ginger nobleboy asked the sobbing princess._

_"Riei isnt' waking up, Sadiki!" Omorose cried again._

_The nobleboy, Sadiki took notice of the cup on the floor, red wine with green liquid on it spilt across the floor. Sadiki now knew exactly why Riei isn't waking up. But telling Omorose the grim reason would grieven her even more._

_"Riei has been poisoned." Sadiki told Omorose the grim news. "He's dead."_

_But this grieved Omorose even more._

_"Who would do this to the prince?" A noblewoman asked. "He's so young!"_

_"He must be avenged!" A nobleman growled as several others agreed. "Whoever murdered our prince, he'll be as good as dead once I find him!"_

_Unbeknownst to the crowd, a satisfied, shadowy figure snickered and ran off. _

"AHH!" Randy screamed as he sat up, wide awake, panting from that terrible nightmare. That was only a dream, it isn't real. Randy breathed to calm himself down and settled in to try to get some sleep again.

_Riei looks familiar. No, it's just a dream. _Those were Randy's last clear thoughts as he drifted off to the land of sleep again. _But ... what if Riei and I are the same person?_

Now back to sleep, Randy fails to notice the Nomicon buzzing a few times throughout the rest of the night.

()()()()()

The next day, Randy, Cindy, Sierra and Howard are all at the school, getting ready to head to Egypt for the field trip. Randy was a little shaky today because of the strange dream he had last night. When Howard, Cindy and Sierra noticed, Randy stops shaking and got to his senses.

"Are you alright, Cunningham." Howard, with such concern, asked Randy.

"Huh? Yeah. I'm okay." Randy replied.

"You sure about that, dude?" Howard asked again.

"Howard, I'm fine." Randy replied again. "It was just a nightly training with the Nomicon, that's all."

_Dude, you're a terrible liar. _Cindy thought while looking at Randy with a smirk on her face.

Howard simply nodded as the four friends get onto the yellow bus that would take them to the airport.

"Egypt! Here we come!" Sierra cried as the bus takes the students to the airport where the adventure in Egypt awaits.


	3. NEWSFLASH: Riei's Mummy Vanished

Once they arrived in Egypt, they gathered together in the lobby of the airport.

Okay students," Principal Slimovitz spoke to a large group of students. "Now that we've arrived in Egypt, we'll began taking off to the ancient ruins of Memphis and camping there for the remainder of the trip so that's easier for us to find ancient tombs."

"Great…" Howard mumbled. "Camping in tents or cabins?"

"Tents of course!" Principal Slimovitz replied happily. Several students grumbled at this.

"Now, now, let's not get too angry about this." Principal Slimovitz continued while keeping a happy face. "It's like going camping, except we're camping in the hot desert instead of the cold woods."

_Yeah right. _Cindy thought. _We'll probably die of heat stroke within a day or two._

So then, the group of students followed Principal Slimovitz as they headed to a local town, just to observe what life was like in Egypt today. Howard glanced around. In the eyes of a teenage tourist, the sun glowed like a fireball. Most of the buildings within the local community are old an ancient with some modern buildings from the western world. There were some buildings that are Muslim-ish, or at least Arabian-ish. The streets are sandy, and some things are westernized to today but still maintain the culture of Egypt. The temperature killed the entire country with its powers of fire. Depending on their religious beliefs, some locals wore muddy robes with scarves wrapped around their faces like mysterious Muslims. Some locals rode on horses and camels and some rode on cars. Some of the students took notice of some of the local teenagers possessing technologies such as MP3 players, laptops and iPods. Howard glanced around, much to his annoyance.

"So you see kids, this is how people in Egypt would live like today." Principal Slimovitz explained the students.

As the students were walking by, a group of locals are seen having tea at a table, just outside a local café.

"Riei's mummy had disappeared without a trace!" An Arab woman cried as she runs up to the group of locals. The locals were shocked.

"How shocking!" A woman from the group cried. "When did it happen?"

"Last week, the prince's mummy left the tomb! It could be days, weeks, months, even years to find the mummy!"

"Whoever took the mummy from the prince's burial chamber will pay dearly for his crimes!" An Arab waiter threatened. "Those who disrespect the prince's eternal rest are those who don't give a damn about life."

Howard overheard this and turned to look at Randy.

"What?" Randy asked Howard.

"Did you hear what they said about the mummy disappearing?" Howard asked.

"How that that even possible?" Randy cried. "Who would want to steal a really old mummy from his resting place?"

Howard shrugged. "Don't look at me. I don't know."

"Maybe a couple of jerks who want to use the bodies as firewood because they can't afford to buy wood." Cindy suggested.

Howard shivers at that thought. "Eww."

"Aw come on, it's not _that _bad!" Cindy cried.

Howard turned to Cindy with a _'really?' _glance.

"Come on guys, there's no need to fight." Sierra cried at Howard and Cindy before breaking into a song,

_**Sierra: **__In an ancient place like Egypt._

_**Howard: **__Oh come on, what do you expect_  
_There's trouble here and there_  
_And everywhere_

_**Randy: **__You can't have a Yin_  
_Without a Yang._

_**Howard: **__Seriously Cunningham?_  
_In a time like this?_

_**Cindy: **__Now listen, guys_  
_I've had enough_  
_In this ancient city_  
_We have yet to see_  
_Some ancient history, curses_  
_In ancient Egypt._

"Dumb." Howard cried in annoyance.

()()()()()

Meanwhile, at an unfriendly-looking bar, an unusual pair of two is seen talking to themselves by the window in the dark, smoky inside of the bar where men drink alcohol, women perform and show off their booties to lustful men, several young children served and bring drinks to customers, and a bartender falling victim to various prank calls. A rail-thin woman, though old and in her late 40s but maintains her inner beauty and youth, pours some red liquor from a bottle into her glass cup, while keeping her oversized sleeves from her extra-large red fur coat rolled up to avoid the liquor's sticky stain. An average Arab man, young in his early to mid-30s with a trimmed black beard not yet shaved smoked away with his hookah while reading a newspaper, rested on his dark-suited lap. Something in the newspaper caught the Arab man's attention.

"Hey, Camille. There's some article about some prince's mummy leaving his tomb last week." The Arab man, with such a soothing, charming voice informed the woman, Camille. "I didn't think it would be possible to do so, but I guess I was wrong on that."

Flickering her sliver straw-like bangs out of her sight, Camille plucks the newspaper off of the Arab man's hand and reads the article that the Arab man was reading earlier.

"This is not some prince's mummy, Vincent." Camille, with a raspy voice like an elderly woman, said to the Arab man, Vincent. "This is the mummy of Prince Riei."

"That one prince with the exotic purple hair that I didn't think it would be possible for anyone to naturally have that hair color?" Vincent asked.

"Afraid so, Vincent." Camille replied again. "It could be days, weeks, months, maybe even years for the police to locate Riei's mummy."

Vincent shrugs as he continues to smoke from his hookah. As he looks at the window, he saw a group of American students walking by the bar.

"I tell ya, Camille. American kids are nothing but trouble." Vincent complained to Camille.

Somehow, Camille agrees with Vincent. All American kids are the same – spoiled and pampered. However, _one _American kid traps Camille and Vincent in his unseen spell. They see Randy and his friends walking by. Not only did Randy's purple hair caught their attention – he bears a slight resemblance to Prince Riei, as if the prince was somehow reincarnated into him

"Say, Camille, I just had an idea for our latest scam of the century." Vincent told Camille with a grin on his face. "We'll use that purple-haired American kid as the prince's replacement."

"I like that idea, Vincent." Camille replied evilly as she took a look at Randy again. "With him as Riei's replacement, we can scam tourists of their money and no one will suspect that he's a living imposter. This is the scam of the century my friend!"

Vincent and Camille shared an evil laugh as they walk out of the bar.


End file.
